Earth scrapers and movers



June 21, 1960 c. I. BECK EARTH SCRAPERS AND MOVERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 30, 1958 ATTORNEY June 21, 1960 c. l. BECK EARTH SCRAPERS AND MOVERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 30, 1958 Fig. 8

Fig. 7

INVENTOR. Cecil I. Beck AT TORNEY EARTH SCRAPERS AND MOVERS Cecil I. Beck, Denver, Colo., assignor to Eversman Manufacturing Co., Denver, C010,, a corporation of Colorado Filed Jan. 30, 1958, Ser. No. 712,253

Claims. c1. 37-126) This invention relates to an earth mover and more particularly to an earth mover of the trailer type which can be drawn by any suitable towing vehicle such as a tractor. The principal object of the present invention is to provide an earth mover of the above type which can be controlled hydraulically from the towing vehicle to accurately scrape, and load earth, transport the loaded earth without loss or spillage, and which, when the desired destination is reached, will discharge and accurately spread the load to any desired thickness.

Further objects of the invention are:

To provide an earth mover which can be easily and accurately controlled in all of its functions by the operation of a single hydraulic valve and which can be accurately controlled to cut or scrape an earth layer of any desired thickness with a minimum of power co'nsumption;

To provide an earth mover which will be exceedingly rugged in construction, which will have a minimum of working parts and which, when desired, can be rapidly dumped to pile the earth without delaying the forward motion, and which will empty completely even'when used upon relatively adherent soils; and

To provide an automatically acting gate for retaining the earth in transport which will require no attention on the part of the operator and to so construct the gate that it will not obstruct the entry of earth and trash during the loading operation.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of the invention, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and efficiency. These will become more apparent from the following description.

While a specific form of the improvement has been described and illustrated herein, it is to be understood that the same may be varied, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the improved earth mover;

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof in the earth-transporting position;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section, taken on the line 3-3, Fig. 1, illustrating the device in the scraping or loading position;

Fig. 4 is a broken-away side view with a near-side frame member removed, showing the loader in a minimum earth spreading position;

Fig. 5 is a side view showing the device in the full dumping position;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail section taken on the line 66, Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary front view of the portion of the earth mover indicated by the arrow 7 in Fig. l; and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary detail perspective view of one extremity of a front end gate employed in the improved earth mover.

The improved earth mover is supported from a Y- shaped frame consisting of two side frame members. 1-0

* atent *O i supported at their rear extremities onground engaging 7 Patented June 21, 1960 wheels 11 and connected at their forward extremities. by means of a front cross beam 12 from which a medially positioned, forwardly-extending tongue beam 13v projects. A spacing pipe or tube 18 extends between the two side frame members 10 forwardly of the wheels 11. The spacing pipe terminates in flat mounting plates 19 which are bolted to the side frame members 10 by means of suitable clamp bolts '46 so as to maintain the side frame members in rigid spaced relation. The spacing pipe 18 is enclosed in a rotatable torsion tube 20 which rotates upon bearing sleeves 48 surrounding the spacing pipe 18.

A tongue beam 13 arches upwardly and downwardly terminating in any suitable conventional trailer hitch which can be attached to a tow ball mounted on the draw bar of a tractor or other suitable towing vehicle. As illustrated, the tongue beam 13 rests upon a tow ball 14 mounted on a two-wheeled dolly 15 provided with dolly wheels 16 and with a towing tongue 17.

A scraper bucket 21 is positioned between the side frame members 10 forwardly of the torsion tube 20. The scraper bucket 21 is provided with a rectangular bottom of greater width than length and with closed sides, and a closed back. The front and the top of the bucket 21 are open, and the leading edge of the bottom thereof is provided with a relatively sharp, horizontal scraper knife 22.

A curvated, front end gate 34, provided with side plates 35 is employed to retain the earth in the bucket 21 when the latter is in the transport position. The end gate is reinforced against torsion by means of a triangular reinforcing roll 36 formed along its upper edge. The side plates '35 of the gate 34 arepivotally mounted on bearing studs 26 on the side frame members to tiltably mount the entire gate structure. A stop post 37 extends upwardly from the cross beam 12 with which the reinforcing roll 36, contacts to limit the extreme downward movement of the gate 34. A tension spring 38 at each side of the gate constantly urges the gate roll 36 downwardly into contact with the stop post 37. The tension springs 38 are connected, as shown at 39, at their forward extremities to the cross beam 12 and are connected, as shown at 40, at their rearward extremities to the side plates 35 of the gate 34.

The scraper bucket is supported upon the forward extremities of two lift arms 24 which are welded or otherwise secured to the extremities of the torsion tube 2Q the side plates of the bucket being provided with bearing studs 27 which are rotatably mounted in the extremities of the lift arms 24.

During the operation of the earth mover, the bucket is rotated about the axis of the bearing studs. 27 by means of swinging links 23 which are mounted upon outwardly projecting pivot studs 25 on the side plates of the bucket and extend forwardly to link studs 47 projecting outwardly from the side plates 35 of the gate 34 forwardly of and in eccentric relation .to the gate bearing studs 26. The relative lengths of the links 23, the arms 24 and the locations of their pivotal connections is such that, when the bottom of the bucket is elevated to the transport position, its bottom will be substantially horizontal and the pivot stud 25 will be substantially in vertical alignment with the bearing stud 27 at each side of the bucket, as shown in Fig. 2.

Each of the lift arms 24 is provided with an actuating lever 28 afiixed to and extending radially from the torsion tube 20 in the plane of the lift arm 24. Each actuating lever 28 is rigidly braced from its respective lift arm 24 by means of a diagonal brace 29. A hydraulic cylinder 30 is hingedly mounted at its for-ward closed extremity in an anchor fitting 31 mounted on the side frame member-10 at each side of the bucket 21. A conventional hydraulically-actuated plunger 32 projects from each attire 8 1 3 cylinder-=30 to a pivotabconnection *SS-enoiaeef-the acmat-ing levers 28.

Hydraulic fluid eously conducted to and from trespass -tl:ietwo hydfaulie cylinders *30*tlirough-surtableconventional hydraulic-l es 9 to 's'iin' taneously fecipiocate theplungers 32 therel' meanee anyonventional hydrarilie cenduits eenneetee I nd reservoir'on hetowingvehiele and ebntrolled by a-eenvemisnai hydr aulicwalve.

The -reai wardly ei rtending portion of each gate side plate 35-is notched'jt o form'an upper cam --l'edge-'41 "alnd a-ldw'ei' cahtledge-42 at'each-side 'of 'the bu'elcet. roller 436s Yrofatablymounted engana projects outwardly resin each "side of the l'nic'ket '21, and during {movements ar the bucket, the eam"rollers -43 contac't tlie dam ledges 1-1 and to actuate the gate, as will be later described.

urge their 'plungers "3 2 outwardly to' simultaneouslyswing the two actuating levers Q8 re arwardly so as to rotate the torsion tube 20 rearwardly. The rearward rotatiou of'the torsion tube '20 causesithe attached'lift arms '24 to rotate upwardly to lift thebucket 21,

As ithe bucket rises, the pivot'studs -25 of the links 23 will swing forwardly about the axis of the linkstuds fl while thebe'aringstuds 27o'nthe "arms 24 will swing reali'tward-ly so 'wasto lower-the scraper knife *Zfa'nd tiltth'e bucket downwardly and forwardly "as shown in 'Fig. "4. The scraper knifewill revel and sprea rlfthe discharging earth, as the loader moves forwardly. The thickness of the-spreadlayer of earth :canbe m tered, desired, by simply admitting additional hydraulic *fluid to "the cylind'ers 30. During the spreading positions, the gate 34 will remain stationary Withthe gate roll 36 resting on the stop post 37 u'nder the 'infiuence"of the springs 38, as shown in Fig. '4. Admission "of hydraulic fluid can "be continued, if desired, until the plungl's '32 tea d1 their runexten isnat which time the bucket willfbefin the complete dumping position of Fig. with .thebottorh thereof tilted beyond the vertical position to completely dislodge -the 'co'nteht's. I

'As the bucket rotates from therninimurn spread position of Fig. '4 to "the dumping positionidf ldigf 5, thetfajin rollers 43 will'travel forwardly and downwardly fiiito coiitactwith "the upper cam ledges '41 so "as to "depress the 'lat'ter and swing the gate 34 upwardly againstftlie bias of the springs "38, as shown in Fig. 5, to"conipletely dpen 'the bucketso that the earth may "freely discharge therefrom. I v Ne l'et'us assnin'e that'it isde'sired'te "refill the'buekt 21 y st aping surface "earth. 'Flie "hydraulic valv fi's actuated 'to dischargefrom the fdrw ardportions the hydraulic cylinders '30, and adinit fluid 'to lthere'zir 'pertions thereof to retract the plunges '3-2 to return the btieket through the 'tra'nspor't p'osition t Fig. 2; "the gr'ou "iigagin'g position of fig. 3 so that 'theeutting edge ftlie knife 22 willente r and loosen theearth to the -desired depth. The bucket bottom will slide' b'eneatih the *lbo'sehedearth, pilingithe latter the blieliet in upwardly growing r-re earn thebiieret zi 'is 'eomplete ly tilled. fis'ithe bucket descends to the*scnaping positioh,

he tellers will a ainst the se'con .or raver aan reages 42, t'o'stretch thespian '38 renewing the gate 3:4 -ferwardly -and upwardly, as shown in 3, so as to allow unobstructed entry to the bucket.

The bucket is returned to the transport position of Fig. 2 by simply reversing the flow of hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic cylinders. It will be noted that when in the scraping position, the-springs 38 are exerting an upward bias on the scraperknife 22 which tends to assist in offsetting*the"'tendency bftheknife to tra vel deeper int heearth so as to assist-in maintaining the :desired level'of cut. I The'upward force imparted to the bu ket by the springs 38- also assists the hydraulic cylinders in raising the bucket to the transport positionsso that the power required t'o lift the bucket from'tlte loading position is reduced. As the bucket rises, the gate 34 will swing downwardly until it rests upon and is slightly lifted by the scraper knife 22 to completely close the open front of the bucket 21.

It will be-"noted 'thatfidue'to the vertical relation of the studs =25iand 27 :and to "the si .1 bstan'tially parallel -'arraugement 0f the links 23 andfarrns 24 when in the transport-or loading positions of Figs. 2 and 3, the bottom of the bucket :will -re'rnain substantially horizontal from the deepestfscrapin'g position to the transport position so as to fa'cilit'ate entry' ofthe bucket into theearthwh'en loading "and pre'vent 'f'spilling during transport. It -will also --be"noted that,'- due'to the terminal arcuate movements of the links23 and=the lifting arms 24, the bucket will rapidly rotate' fofaud frornthedumping'position of Fig. 5 witha minimumof hydraulic plunger movement.

'Since it is difiicult for the operator to visually determine'the vertical positio'n of the scraper knife '22-and since "the gate 34 'rneves i'n correspondence with the knife, "agauge pointer 44 ism'ounted upon one of the side frame-members lllto indicate positions on an index 45 ontlie' 'endgfite'ii l.

It is:desired"to call attention to'the fact that-the 'abovedescribed construction for an earth scrapingv and loading device in which accurate control of the amount "of cut, accurate control of the sprea'd"'of the load, 'lift*witho'ut spilling,'-and rapid an'd' coinplete dump of heavy sticky soils is obtained by operati'on of'a single control.

:Attention -is "also called to eificient results of-the use offthetorque tube. tube completely elir'n'iiiates all stresses in the bucket due to unequal loading and to unequal stressesiupon the cutting edge "when scraping due to engaging rocks,: roots, har'd soil, etc. The torque tube eliminates t-he use' oftrusses and other struetural members for resisting torque-stresses. V 7

While :a "specific form of "the improvement has been described :and illustrated herein, his to be understood that"theysame may be varied, within the scope 'of the appended' claiins, without departing from the-"spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is c laiined anddesired'f'secured' by :Letters Patent is: H

flxA-n :earth :mover fco'mp'rising: :a 'supportin'g frame including two side frame members; a bucket having two sides, rapbackand a 'bottoin p'ositioned between said side frame :niembers; a first pivot member extending outwardly from each side of said bucket; a second pivot member extending outw'ardly from each side -of said bucketin spaced relation 'to'the first pivot member thereon; a connecting link pivot-ally rnounted at its "rear ex t'r'emity on each ofsaid:first'pivotunembers and extending forwardly therefrom; a lift arm pivotally mounted on each of said second pivot: members and-extending rearwardly therefrom to a pivotal mounting on said stipporting framey means for swinging said lift arms in unis'ona'bout'the'ir pivotalm'ountings to cause said second pivotrnembersto"gyrateabout said'fir st pivot members to vary -tlie position of *said bucket; afront end gate positioned forw ardly of said bucket; side plates in said end gatejfa fiiie pivot 'oneach side fra'me member, the sideplatesof Laid end gatebeinlg rotatably mounted on said nee sites and are 'rorwaia antennas at "an connecting links being pivotally connected to the side plates of said end gate; and means for rotating said side plates about said fixed pivots to cause said end gate to swing toward and away from said bucket to open and close the front of the latter.

2. An earth mover as described in claim 1 in which the pivotal connections between the forward extremities of the links and the side plates of the end gate are positioned eccentrically of said fixed pivots.

3. An earth mover as described in claim 1 having a cam member mounted on and projecting outwardly from each side of said bucket and a cam ledge formed on each side plate of said end gate in the path of movement of one of said cam members so that said cam members will contact said ledges to rotate said end gate away from said bucket in consequence of the latters approach to its terminal positions.

4. An earth mover as described in claim 3 in which said gate device is provided with two cam ledges at each of its sides, said ledges and said cam members being so positioned that the cam members will descend against the first ledges at each side of said gate device to elevate said gate device as the bucket descends to its loading position, and so that the cam members will descend against the second ledges at each side of said gate device to elevate said gate device as the bucket tilts forwardly to its dumping position.

5. An earth mover as described in claim 4 having an index carried by said gate device and an indicating device mounted on said frame cooperating with said index to indicate the various positions of said bucket.

References Cited in the file of this patent Miskin July 11, 1950 

